Method for selectively depositing a conductive coating over a patterning coating and device including a conductive coating

Abstract

A device includes: (1) a substrate; (2) a patterning coating covering at least a portion of the substrate, the patterning coating including a first region and a second region; and (3) a conductive coating covering the second region of the patterning coating, wherein the first region has a first initial sticking probability for a material of the conductive coating, the second region has a second initial sticking probability for the material of the conductive coating, and the second initial sticking probability is different from the first initial sticking probability.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device having a plurality of layers, extending substantially transverse to a lateral aspect of the device, wherein the layers comprise:
 a patterning coating extending across a first region and a second region of the lateral aspect of an underlying surface, the patterning coating having a first initial sticking probability in the first region and a second initial sticking probability, that exceeds the first initial sticking probability, in the second region; and 
 a conductive coating supported by the patterning coating and extending across the second region only; 
 
       wherein the conductive coating is a closed coating formed by actions comprising:
 depositing a patterning coating material across both the first region and the second region to form the patterning coating; 
 treating the patterning coating to change its initial sticking probability against deposition of a conductive coating material in one of the first and second regions from a first value to a second value, such that the initial sticking probability in the second region exceeds the initial sticking probability in the first region; and 
 subjecting the conductive coating to a vapor flux of the conductive coating material; wherein the conductive coating forms primarily in, and across substantially all of, the second region. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the patterning coating comprises a single layer integrally formed across the first and second region. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive coating is in direct contact with the patterning coating in the second region. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the action of treating causes at least one of: a form, and a composition, of a first patterning coating material comprising the patterning coating material in the first region to be different than a second patterning coating material comprising the patterning coating material in the second region. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 4 , wherein the first patterning material has a first degree of crystallinity and the second patterning material has a second degree of crystallinity that exceeds the first degree of crystallinity. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 5 , wherein a concentration of an oxygen species of the second patterning coating material exceeds a concentration of an oxygen species of the first patterning material. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 5 , wherein an average molecular weight of the first patterning material is less than an average molecular weight of the second patterning material. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 5 , wherein the second patterning material is polymerized. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 4 , wherein the action of treating comprises an action of applying electromagnetic radiation to one of the first and second patterning materials. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the action of applying uses at least one of a mask and a laser. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is selected from ultraviolet radiation and extreme ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 9 , wherein a wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation substantially matches an absorption wavelength of the exposed one of the first and second patterning materials. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the action of depositing comprises an action of exposing the underlying surface to a vapor flux of the patterning coating material. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the action of depositing comprises an action of positioning a mask to limit a lateral extent of the deposition of the patterning coating. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the action of subjecting comprises presenting both the first region and the second region to the vapor flux of the conductive coating material. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the action of subjecting is performed in at least one of an open-mask and maskless deposition. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first region is substantially devoid of a closed coating of the conductive coating material. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the layers further comprise at least one island disposed on a surface of the patterning coating in the first region. 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one island is formed during the action of subjecting. 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one island forms a disconnected cluster. 
     
     
       21. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one island comprises other than a continuous layer. 
     
     
       22. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one island is formed of the conductive coating material. 
     
     
       23. The device of  claim 18 , wherein a thickness of the at least one island is no greater than 5% of a thickness of the conductive coating in the second region. 
     
     
       24. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the conductive coating comprises a first portion covering the second region and a second portion partially overlapping the patterning coating, wherein the second portion is spaced from the patterning coating by a gap. 
     
     
       25. The device of  claim 24 , wherein the second portion extends over the at least one island and is spaced therefrom. 
     
     
       26. The device of  claim 24 , wherein another portion of the patterning coating is exposed from the conductive coating. 
     
     
       27. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive coating material comprises magnesium. 
     
     
       28. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive coating material comprises a high vapor pressure material. 
     
     
       29. The device of  claim 28 , wherein the high vapor pressure material is selected from at least one of ytterbium, cadmium and zinc. 
     
     
       30. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an action of removing the patterning coating after the action of subjecting. 
     
     
       31. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the initial sticking probability in the first region after the action of treating is less than at least one of about: 0.1, 0.05, 0.03, 0.02, 0.01, 0.008, 0.005, 0.003, 0.001, 0.0008, 0.0005, and 0.0001. 
     
     
       32. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the initial sticking probability in the second region after the action of treating is at least about at least one of about: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.9, 0.93, 0.95, 0.98, and 0.99. 
     
     
       33. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the patterning coating comprises a polycyclic aromatic compound. 
     
     
       34. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the patterning coating comprises an organic compound including a core moiety and a terminal moiety bonded to the core moiety. 
     
     
       35. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is an opto-electronic device. 
     
     
       36. The device of  claim 35 , wherein the device is an organic light emitting device. 
     
     
       37. The device of  claim 36 , wherein the underlying surface comprises an emissive region and a non-emissive region. 
     
     
       38. The device of  claim 37 , wherein the emissive region is adjacent to the non-emissive region. 
     
     
       39. The device of  claim 37 , wherein the layers further comprise, in the emissive region, a first electrode, a second electrode, and at least one semiconducting layer extending between the first and second electrode. 
     
     
       40. The device of  claim 39 , wherein the second electrode extends in both the emissive region and the non-emissive region. 
     
     
       41. The device of  claim 39 , wherein the second electrode extends between the at least one semiconducting layer and the patterning coating. 
     
     
       42. The device of  claim 39 , wherein the patterning coating is in direct contact with the second electrode. 
     
     
       43. The device of  claim 39 , wherein the layers further comprise a substrate comprising at least one thin film transistor electrically coupled to the first electrode, wherein the first electrode extends between the substrate and the at least one semiconducting layer. 
     
     
       44. The device of  claim 39 , wherein the emissive region lies within the first region and the non-emissive region lies within the second region. 
     
     
       45. The device of  claim 44 , wherein the conductive coating comprises an auxiliary electrode electrically coupled to the second electrode. 
     
     
       46. The device of  claim 44 , wherein a sheet resistance of the conductive coating is less than a sheet resistance of the second electrode.